Push Admin

Suspended BuCor chief Bantag faces plunder raps anew over misused prison funds

Article (news)

Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag is facing new plunder and graft charges over the alleged misappropriation of funds intended for prison facilities in Davao, Palawan, and Leyte. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/01/31/20200304-oplan-galugad-gc-5623.jpg"/><figcaption>Suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag is facing new plunder and graft charges over the alleged misappropriation of funds intended for prison facilities in Davao, Palawan, and Leyte. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/file</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed additional charges of plunder, graft, malversation of public funds, grave misconduct, and dishonesty against suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag over allegedly misused funds for prison facilities. Aside from Bantag, DOJ also filed the same raps against 5 other BuCor officials,, namely C/Insp. Ric Rocabura, CO1 Solomon Areniego, CTO1 Jor-el de Jesus, CTO2 Angelo Castillo, and CTO Alexis Catindig.According to a DOJ document dated Feb. 4, Bantag and the other charged officials were allegedly complicit in the &quot;unlawful and malicious falsification of official documents that resulted in the misappropriation&quot; of BuCor funds intended for the construction of facilities at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, and the Leyte Regional Prison.The construction project had a total budget of P1 billion, with P300 million allotted to each prison. Its bidding was done in 2020.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt=" Suspended prisons chief Gerald Bantag faces fresh raps for plunder, malversation of public funds, graft, grave misconduct and dishonesty over allegedly unfinished projects. Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/02/06/20230206-boc-suspended.jpg"/><figcaption>Suspended prisons chief Gerald Bantag faces fresh raps for plunder, malversation of public funds, graft, grave misconduct and dishonesty over allegedly unfinished projects. Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>&quot;They knowingly connived with, and/or consented to the commission of violation of laws, rules, and regulations that resulted in the loss of government funds,&quot; the document read.&quot;Such dishonest acts of altering, concealing or distorting the truth on [matters] relevant to their office, or connected with the performance of their duties, caused serious damage and grave prejudice to the government and the same constitute,&quot; it added.Acting prisons chief Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and his legal team led the filing of the charges. BuCor legal counsel Al Parreras said there was a &quot;conspiracy&quot; among Bantag and the other co-accused to make it appear that the projects had already been completed when they were not.“The 3 projects [had] falsified accomplishment reports. For example, at Iwahig, the government paid about 93 percent where in fact only 57 percent was completed. With respect to Davao, 95 percent had been already paid, where in truth and in fact only about 57 percent were completed and for the Leyte (project) about 80 percent was already paid by the government and only 47 percent was completed,” he said.Parreras also noted that this was the 4th case filed against Bantag over alleged anomalies that happened during his watch as prisons chief.As of writing, Bantag&#x27;s camp and his co-accused have yet to comment on the matter.The new charges come as Bantag continues to face murder raps over the killing of broadcaster Percival &quot;Percy Lapid&quot; Mabasa and New Bilibid Prison inmate Jun Villamor, who was tagged as a &quot;middle man&quot; in Mabasa&#x27;s slay.Bantag had previously been tagged as the alleged mastermind in the broadcaster&#x27;s murder.Bantag&#x27;s successor Catapang had said that his predecessors &quot;failed&quot; in their mission to protect the welfare of inmates following Villamor&#x27;s death.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/24/23/catapang-says-bucor-failed-mission-to-oversee-inmates">Catapang says BuCor failed mission to oversee inmates</a></li></ul>Last January, Bantag also faced another complaint after 5 officials from the Iwahig prison accused him of torture in 2020.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/20/23/5-corrections-officers-accuse-bantag-of-torture">5 corrections officers accuse Bantag of torture</a></li></ul><div> </div>

DOJ has filed additional charges of plunder and graft, among others, against suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag over unfinished prison facilities.

Suspended BuCor chief Bantag faces plunder raps anew over misused prison funds

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

Suspended BuCor chief Bantag faces plunder raps anew over misused prison funds

Johnson Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 06, 2023 02:20 PM PHT

|

Updated Feb 06, 2023 05:16 PM PHT

Read More:

Gerald Bantag

Bureau of Corrections

Department of Justice

DOJ

Gregorio Pio Catapang

plunder

graft

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.